Grip for ski poles



Feb. 6, 1968 cov N 3,367,673

GRIP FOR SKI POLES Filed Feb. 15, 1966 INVENTOR LORENZO Cowm KM KM Mem- United States Patent GRIP FOR SKI POLES Lorenzo Covini, Milan, Italy, assignor to Cober Fabbrica Articoli Sportivi, Milan, Italy Filed Feb. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 527,533 Claims priority, application Italy, Mar. 3, 1965,

5 Claims. (Cl. 280--11.37)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hand grip for a ski pole, with a rigid rear element to be engaged by the palm of the hand and an elastic forward element deformable under the action of the fingers of the hand. The pole is secured in a longitudinal passage in the rear element of the grip which is contoured to define hand confining enlargements at its opposite ends.

This invention relates to an improved grip for a hand grasped implement, and more particularly relates to a grip for a ski pole.

It is known that the grips of ski poles must have various characteristics closely linked with the use of these poles, mainly that of permitting a secure hold for the hand so as to transmit considerable stresses to the poles, as well as offering a special adhesion to the hand without requirmg the continuous tight holding of the grip, since this would be unnecessarily tiring for the skier.

For these purposes the known grips are generally made of leather or of rubber, and present reliefs and cavities at the parts engaged by the fingers. As said reliefs and cavities must be used with hands of different dimensions, they are necessarily spaced at intervals corresponding to a maximum dimension. In prior constructions such reliefs and cavities consist of the same material which forms the rest of the grip. This leads to the disadvantage of not providing an eificient and secure hold of the pole, and, in addition, requires a continuous gripping effort which tires the fingers of the hand.

The ski pole grip according to the invention eliminates said disadvantages, as it can adapt itself to any hand di mension, and also presents surfaces which improve the hold without tiring the user.

According to the invention, the grip is formed by two closely connected parts made of elastic material of different elasticity, the part of the grip which surrounds the pole and which is turned toward the palm of the hand being made of substantially hard material with little elasticity, while the part presented to the fingers is made of very soft elastic material, and is shaped so as to be tapered from the part where the fingers exert the greatest pressure, but smoothly curved longitudinally, that is, without presenting reliefs and cavities between the fingers in the longitudinal direction.

In the annexed drawing is shown, by way of example, a ski pole grip having a construction according to a preferrcd embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in section of a grip in accordance with the invention, the ski pole and safety strap associated therewith being fragmentarily shown; and

FIG. 2 is a transverse section taken along line II-II of FIG. 1.

The illustrated grip comprises a rear element 1 having a longitudinal passage 2 in which the reduced diameter end 8 of the pole 9 is housed. Passage 2 terminates at its upper end in a cavity 3 which receives the head of an attachment screw 7 and with an aperture 4 for the application of a safety strap 10.

3,367,673 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 Element 1 terminates at both ends with the reliefs 1a, 1b, which limit the hand gripping zone; the rear surface of element 1 presents an elongated curved surface or relief 1c for engaging the palm of the hand. This element 1 consists of substantially rigid material of suflicient hardness to withstand the stresses to which the ski pole 9 is subjected, and preferably it is formed of hard solid rubber.

In the forward part of the grip, relative to the position of the hand, said element 1 comprises a partly cylindrical surface 6 having a zone coaxial of its. longitudinal axis, which surrounds the passage 2 for the engagement of shank 8 of the pole 9 and at each of its sides a flat surface 6a extending continuously from somewhat upwardly of the end 1a in a longitudinal direction to somewhat below the end 1b.

On the forward side, relative to the position of the hand, the grip has an additional element 5 consisting of soft elastic material, such as foam rubber provided with an impermeable outer surface. Said element 5 is integrally attached to element 1, as by means of an adhesive, over the entire surface 6-6a and is of olive-shaped tapered uniform shape, in cross section, as is seen in FIG. 2. In longitudinal direction it completes, at the ends, the projections 1a-1b of element 1, and is shaped in gentle relief in both directions in the intermediate zone 5a. Thus the lengths of the periphery of the transverse zones of the forward element of the grip vary generally in accordance with the lengths of the respective fingers of the hand engaging the grip.

As the hand seizes the grip, the hollow of the palm adapts itself to the relief 10 of the rear element, while the fingers, enveloping the forward element 5, make a series of depressions and reliefs in element 5. Such described in the foregoing specification, it is to be especially position assumed by the fingers, thus furnishing a soft and adhering resting surface for the fingers of the gripping hand while providing a very secure gripping surface for such fingers.

The grip according to the invention affords a secure hold without the necessity of excessive pressure by the fingers of the gripping hand. This follows from the fact that the section of element 5 varies on its forward side; thus said element 5 presents a resistance to crushing which gradually increases from its thinner longitudinal end portions to its thicker longitudinal central portion. It is, however, also possible to vary the crushing resistance of element 5 by reducing either its thickness or the rate of variation of its tapering from its longitudinal center.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be especially understood that various changes, such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and the like, as well as the suggested manner of use of the apparatus of the invention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hand-grasped elongated ski pole with a hand grip on one end of the pole, the improved grip which comprises two hand engaging elements connected together and extending longitudinally of the pole, a first, rear one of said elements being adapted to be engaged by the palm of the hand and being made of substantially rigid material, said rear element having a longitudinal passage therein receiving said end of the pole; means securing said rear element to said pole; and the second, forward one of said elements being adapted to be engaged by the fingers of the hand and being made of elastic, flexible material, said forward element being deformable under the action of the fingers of the hand so as to adapt itself with depressions and ridges corresponding to the arrangement of the fingers thereon; and the rear and forward elements of the grip together forming a contoured hand engaging member having hand confining enlargements at its opposite ends.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the forward element of the grip is made of elastic cellular material and is provided with a generally continuous impervious outer surface layer.

3. The combination according to claim 1, comprising a passage extending through the rear element of the grip generally transverse to the longitudinal passage therein, and a safety strap having its inner end received within said generally transverse passage and secured to said rear element of the grip.

4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the rear element of the grip has portions of said hand confining enlangement-s thereon, and wherein the ends of the forward element of the grip are disposed axially inwardly of said portions of the hand confining enlargement on the rear element.

5. In a hand-grasped elongated ski pole with a hand grip on one end of the pole, the improved grip which comprises two hand engaging elements connected together and eXtending longitudinally of the pole, a first, rear one of said elements being adapted to be engaged by the palm of the hand and being made of substantially rigid material, said rear element having a longitudinal passage therein receiving said end of the pole; means securing said rear element to said pole; and the second, forward one of said elements being adapted to be engaged by the fingers of the hand and being made of elastic, flexible material, said forward element being deformable under the action of the fingers of the hand so as to adapt itself with depressions and ridges corresponding to the arrangement of the fingers thereon, and decreasing in transverse thickness from an intermediate portion thereof in opposite directions longitudinally thereof toward its ends, whereby the lengths of the periphery of the transverse zones of the forward element of the grip vary generally in accordance with the lengths of the respective fingers of the hand engaging the grip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,627,420 2/1953 Wheeler et al. 280ll.37 3,179,435 4/1965 Miller 28011.37

FOREIGN PATENTS 116,263 2/ 1930 Austria. 223,985 10/1962 Austria. 919,589 2/1963 Great Britain.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner. 

